China to require police to film all interrogations - Xinhua

SHANGHAI, Feb 15 (Reuters) - China will require police to
film and record all interrogations in criminal cases to ensure
that law enforcement is carried out fairly and that suspects'
rights are protected, the official Xinhua news agency reported
on Sunday.

The requirement, approved by the Ministry of Public
Security, includes a plan to improve evidence gathering and the
accountability of police officers handling cases.

Public discontent over wrongful punishment in China has been
growing.

In December, the parents of a teenager executed 18 years ago
for a rape and murder he did not commit were compensated after
the Inner Mongolia High Court overturned his conviction.

In another case, a former food stall owner who was on death
row was acquitted of poisoning two children. Nian Bin said he
was tortured into confessing during police interrogations.

The ministry said the credibility of the police had been
damaged by instances of police accepting bribes and bending the
law to serve themselves, Xinhua reported.
(Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Robert Birsel)